Freeman Honda Dallas Complaint - Blunders In Sales Process

DALLAS, TEXAS -- It was a horrible experience when I went to purchase a new 2008 odyssey at Freeman Honda. The sales department agreed to sell the vehicle for $31500 over the phone. When I went to their dealership they said it is $32000. They gave reason as sales manager did a mistake in quoting the earlier #31500 price. So I asked sales man to if the price is 32000 , I would have to request for extended warranty ( 100k miles and 7 year warranty) and 0.9% APR. They took my information and ran a credit check. They came back and agreed to sell the Vehicle for $31783 with 100k, 7 year powertrain warranty. They did all formalities including handing over the new keys. I went with my family with 2 little kids. We spent more than 3 hrs of time. All of a sudden the sales manager comes and said, "Sir we made a mistake on agreeing with on 0.9% APR as well 100k mile, 7 year warranty by mistake, We cannot sell you both at the same time". They said I have to go back to default APR which 9.2%. I said why you agreed for the first time, and why ran my credit check, why handed over the keys, why put the gas, washed the car for checkout. The entire happiness came to an end, but I have never seen such a worst dealership in my whole life. They are very un-ethical in practice. They are good at making false promises and attracting customers to get in to their office. Be careful with what they say and what you agree upon.

Read everything and take written documents on everything you do on your Vehicle. I will not recommend this dealership. Before I left I asked sales person "In case you change your mind to sell the Vehicle what you agreed earlier,please call me as I am still interested in this vehicle" The sales person responded "No way! I am not gonna Call you, with angry scowl" What a service, shame on Honda.

This is why I walk into a dealership with my own financing. I tell them what I want and what I am willing to pay for it. If they say no, I get up and walk out. In this economy when no one is buying cars, you can bet they will call you and make a deal.

Posted by Starlord on 2008-11-02:

Good for you. A lot of people would have let them cow you into completing the deal. The salesman's reaction is typical sour grapes, as he realized he had just kissed off his commission. John is right, it is a buyer's market right now, and they really are desparate to sell the iron and move it off the lot. Maybe they will stop and think next time.

Posted by madconsumer on 2008-11-02:

no way would i have accepted the 9.2% finance rate either. you did well by walking away.

very helpful.

Posted by yoke on 2008-11-02:

If the papers were all signed, how could the dealership back out? I have never gotten the keys until all the paperwork has been signed.

Posted by Anonymous on 2008-11-02:

9.2% in this economy? Someone is obviously living on Fantasy Island. Good for you for walking away. There is a sucker born every minute and it sounds like this dealership is counting on them. One small correction, though. Honda has nothing to do with what the dealerships do, so it's actually shame on the dealership!

Posted by asifakb on 2008-11-02:

Thank you all for great comments. I think this dealership require big time training on how to respect, how to negotiate with customers. The cabin people who sit inside and make decisions on the sale are the real ones to whom we should blame. They did not feel courtest to come and say sorry for the mistake instead they behaved very rude. Honda should not have given a chace to sell their cars and spoil their repuation.

Posted by Aerocave on 2008-11-03:

asifakb: It was good that you walked away, as the terms were not what were agreed...however, in response to sherdy's statement, my guess is the rate was quoted assuming you were top tier, however you may have not qualified for the .9% rate--it has nothing to do with "living on fantasy island." They probably quoted the rate, assumed you would be approved, and then did not receive the approval as they had hoped.

It is true, sales are down considerably, but contrary to what people think...or are bombarded with on a daily basis by our "Make it seem like its the end of the world so we have job security" media--people are still buying cars.

Posted by Anonymous on 2008-11-03:

You shouldn't promise someone something you can't deliver in a situation like that. I don't get the "pick a rate based on credit" thing. Either you qualify for a loan or you don't. Period. I think they did a bait and switch on the OP. Also, a 9.2% rate when Toyota is currently offering 0% on 11 of their 2009 cars IS indeed living on Fantasy Island, and Honda is Toyota's biggest competitor. Regardless of the situation, the OP was smart enough to walk away.

Posted by Aerocave on 2008-11-04:

Sherdy: The only way a dealer knows if a customer qualifies is by taking a credit application...BUT...most of the time it goes like this: Customers walk in, don't want to give you the the proper, if any information upfront--thanks to Consumer Reports, Edmonds, and all the other genious "this is how you buy a car" articles, they want a deal based on the special APR blasted all over the airways and print (and, for the record quoted at every other dealer they shop at--in other words, if you don't quote it, you lose), we quote the rate, hopefully write up the deal, the customer gives the credit information, and most of the time--no problem its approved and the sale is good to go. Its just that sometimes, customers are not upfront, tell us "My credit is good" when in reality, they either didn't know, or "forgot" about those credit card bills that were late...I don't know...but the actual APR is based on the customer's credit. Ask yourself this: Where would you buy...from the dealer quoting you 2.9% for 60 months? Or the one saying, "Mr Customer, I can't quote you a payment because we need to get your credit information first. We don't quote payments until we have established your rate." If every dealer operated like that and THE CUSTOMER would be accepting to that practice--GREAT! You'd never have a situation like this again... But the reality is Sherdy, that is living on fantasy island.